Ambushed
by ffreaderwriter
Summary: An ordinary warehouse search turns deadly. Will Tony and Ziva finally be able to say what has needed to be said for a long time? Tune in to find out. Tiva.
1. Chapter 1

Tony leaned his head heavily against the wall. _How had it all gone so horribly wrong? It wasn't supposed to end up like this. It had been a supposedly simple assignment. _He closed his eyes as the movie of the day began to play in his mind.

Hours earlier….

"_Come on_. How can you not like superhero movies?" Tony asked, slamming the car door.

"I just don't care for them Tony." Ziva shrugged exasperated.

"The Avengers is awesome." Tony continued. "They even have this kick ass assassin chick called Black Widow that I think you would really identify with."

"I don't know why it is so important to you for me to like superhero movies. I would expect this from McGee, but not you."

"You don't have to be a McNerd to like superhero movies." Tony said as he stopped in front of a chain link fence and turned to face Ziva.

"If you say so." Ziva said.

"At least tell me that you don't watch Lifetime movies. " Tony said, looking at her over his sunglasses.

"I don't watch Lifetime movies." Ziva sighed. "Does that make you feel better?"

"Yes, it does." Tony said, turning to look at the rather nondescript metal warehouse that was on the other side of the fence. "Are you sure this is the right place? Doesn't really look like a drug trafficker hideout." Tony grabbed the lock in his hand, which immediately came open. "See, it is not even locked. The address must be wrong. "

"This is the address that the informant gave Gibbs." Ziva said. "Besides, haven't you heard of hiding in plain sight."

"Well, the informant must have lied." Tony said looking back at Ziva, annoyed.

"To Gibbs?" Ziva laughed. "I doubt it. Besides, do you really want to tell Gibbs that you came out here and didn't check the place out because it didn't look like a hideout."

"No."Tony was interrupted by his cell phone ringing. "Look, its McGoo." Tony flipped open the phone. "What is it probie?"

"Gibbs wanted me to call and see if you had found out anything about the warehouse."

"Just got here, McGee. Other than finding out Ziva's distaste in superheroes movies, no I have not found out anything so far. Looks just like a normal warehouse, but we're going in to check it out now."

Tony flipped the phone closed. "Happy now? We're going in and Probie knows where we are."

"Very."

Ziva had to admit that it didn't seem like the most likely of places to run an illegal drug running operation. It was a long metal building that was in a row of identical long metal buildings. They had pulled the owner's names of the buildings. Every other building was owned by a legitimate company and was used for various reasons ranging from storage to making sewing materials, including this one. However, this one building on the end was owned under a bogus shell company that was traced back to Juan Hernandez. He was a major drug supplier for the East Coast. They had been brought onto the case when two sailors had overdosed on his drugs. Gibbs really wanted to check this guy which was why their Saturday was being spent chasing down their latest lead.

Tony stopped as they reached as they reached the door. He looked up to see a small camera attached underneath the roofline of the structure. He followed the cord down the side of the building. It didn't appear to be plugged into anything. "I don't think that's hooked into anything. I think it's just for show. " Tony said pointing to the camera.

Ziva nodded her agreement, pulling her gun from its holster.

Tony gently tried the handle, but found it locked. "It's locked. Why don't you go around and see if there is another way in, while I pick this lock." At Ziva's raised eyebrow, Tony responded, "Yes, I can actually pick a lock. Now go."

Ziva turned and headed down the side of the building, shortly finding a rolling metal door. Gently pulling on it, she found it unlocked. "Tony!"

Tony quickly made his way to where his partner's location. "Sorry, to spoil your fun with picking the lock, but this one is open." Ziva said lifting the door.

The interior of the structure was as average looking as its exterior. There were rows of boxes and wooden crates covering a majority of the building. Tony walked over to a nearby open crate and pulled out a teddy bear. Ziva glanced inside another one and removed a pillow.

"See, what did I tell ya?" Tony asked.

"I don't think this was a wild turkey chase, Tony." Ziva answered. "We haven't found anyone to ask about anything yet."

"It's a wild goose chase, Ziva." Tony corrected. "By all means" Tony extended his hand ushering Ziva further into the warehouse. "Ladies first."

They proceeded wordlessly toward the back of the warehouse placing rows of cartons marked various household items. They noticed a clearing up ahead. "The office must be up here." Ziva said.

Passing the last row of boxes, both agents immediately saw that this had not been a wild goose chase after all. Three green metal tables sat next to each other with white block of cocaine in various stages of preparation were spread out on the tables along with a money counter and other items needed for the operation. "Tony, you had better call Gibbs."

"Yeah, and we should probably get out of here before the owners come back." Tony said reaching in his pocket for his phone.

The words had barely escaped his mouth when two men stepped out from the back room Mac-9s slung over their shoulders.

Tony and Ziva barely had enough time to duck behind the nearest stack of crates as automatic fire rained down on them.

Both agents drew their weapons and began to return fire, knowing this might not end well.

The crates around them began to explode as feathers and stuffing filled the air.

"We are going to have to pull back." Ziva said, leaning out slightly to try and get a good shot of one of the gunman.

Tony watched as the world seemed to slow to a crawl. Ziva and one of the gun man fell instanteously as if a large rubber band had popped.

"Ziva!" Tony shouted over the roar of the gunfire.

The second gunman, turned momentarily surprised by his comrade's fall. Tony took the opportunity to take care of the second gunman before he start his barrage once again.

Quiet once again fell upon the warehouse, now littered with debris, shells, and blood. Tony was sickened at the sight his saw in front of him. Ziva's white shirt now grew crimson as blood flowed vigorously from the wound in her chest. "You're going to be okay." Tony whispered.

Ziva nodded ever so slightly.

Tony removed his shirt, placing the crumpled fabric over the wound, which garnered him a moan. "You're going to be okay."

Tony reached into pocket, retrieving his cell phone, dialing with one hand while keeping his other hand firmly in place over the wound.

"This is NCIS Special Agent Anthony. I need an ambulance at 1732 Industrial Parkway. An agent down is down. I repeat an Agent is down. I also need a coroner for two suspects. Hurry."

Tony flipped the phone shut as he turned his attention back to Ziva. He noticed her eyes were beginning to Ziva. "Ziva!"

Tony watched as her eyes fluttered back open. "Ziva! You stay with me now! You stay with me!"

Ziva's eyes stayed open only a moment more before they closed once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Tony leaned his head against the cold, sterile hospital wall. He momentarily closed his eyes attempting to close out the chaos of the hospital waiting area around him, but he was greeted with the sight of Ziva's blood soaked shirt. Opening them quickly he looked down at the blue regulation hospital shirt he now wore. Glancing down at his hands, he swore they still had a red tint to them although he had scrubbed them clean.

"Tony! Oh, my Tony! Are you okay?" Tony exhaled sharply as he was nearly crushed by Abby's hug. He didn't scold her or even attempt to make some witty comeback to her about his current lack of oxygen. He just gave her a moment before he struggled a response. "Abby, I'm fine."

Abby finally released her grip and Tony could see that she looked just as worried as he did. "Well, how's Ziva? Is she okay? She has got to be okay. Do you know if she is okay?" The words flew so fast that if Tony wasn't used to Abby he would have thought it was all one sentence.

"I don't know, Abbs." Tony answered. "She's in surgery right now. They haven't told me anything."

"What happened?" The quiet question made Tony look up from the forensic scientist as she released her grip on Tony. Troubled brown eyes met steely blues one. "We were ambushed, boss."

"We went in to have a look around then these guys came out of nowhere. We were completely out gunned. I did the best that I could do."

"I know you did, Tony." Came the soft reply.

Things seem to blur by to Tony. Ducky and Palmer had come by, but he had no clue what they had said. He had stared at the same light green walls until that felt like they were beginning to close in on him. "I've got to get some air." Tony said to the room in general as he rushed outside into the cool night air.

Tony stopped in the middle of a small flower garden off to the side of the building. He supposed it was placed there to let the visitors had a nice peaceful place to rest. He felt anything but peaceful or rested. He began to pace around the garden walk way, trying to breath in the fresh air hoping it would help.

"Hey, Tony!"

Tony stopped his frantic pace as his boss approached. "Am I going to have to smack you?"

"It can't end like this." Tony said, running a hand through his hair. 'She should know…. She should know how…"

"Well, tell her."

Tony cocked his head to one side. "What about rule number12?"

"Rule 30."

"Sorry, boss my brain is not really working right now." Tony said. "What's rule 30 again?"

"No regrets." Gibbs said softly. "It overrides Rule number 12 in this case."

"So, you're okay with it?" Tony questioned, still unsure.

"Couldn't think of anyone better for the two of you," Gibbs said, smiling. "Come on. Let's see if anyone has heard anything yet."

"Okay" Tony said as he turned and followed Gibbs back inside.

As they approached the waiting area a doctor approached. "Who is here for Mrs. David?"

"That would be me- us." Tony quickly corrected.

"Okay," the doctor smiled wearily. "She's going to be fine. She lost a lot of blood. It appears the bullet went straight through we didn't find any fragments. " The doctor paused for a moment. "She's a lucky lady. If that bullet had been just a few centimeters to either side it would have nicked an artery and we very well might be having a different conversation right now."

"Thanks, doc." Gibbs said.

"When can she have visitors?" Tony asked, the words "she's very lucky" still ringing in his ears.

"She's still sedated at this point." The doctor said. "She should be waking up shortly. She can have one visitor at a time when she awakes."

"Can someone be there when she wakes up?" Tony asked. "I just don't think she should be alone."

The doctor smiled. "Sure, that's fine."

Tony turned to Gibbs. "Go."

A/N: Thanks for all the alerts and the reviews for this story. It really does mean a lot.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony sat in the darkened hospital room. The faint fluorescent light above the bed cast a pale glow over Ziva's figure. She looked so... still. Tony could see the bandage sticking out of her hospital gown. The only thing that broke the stillness of the room was Ziva's steady breathing and the beep of the machines monitoring her monitoring her vitals.

Tony stared at the machines. He tried to find solace in the even rhythms. She shouldn't be here. He'd prayed it was all a bad dream, but it wasn't. He knew Ziva would scold him for beating himself up. She'd remind him that they had a job to do. She'd say this could happen any time, to any of them. He found himself shaking his head. It didn't help.

He gently slipped his hand into hers, taking a deep breath, rubbing his thumb over her hand carefully avoid her IV line. "You know that neither one of us is very good with all this emotional stuff. Whenever someone gets too close we start looking for an exit."

He broke his gaze away from her hand to glance up at Ziva's face. Nothing had changed. "I don't know if you can hear me or not."

"I just..." Tony let out a small laugh. He was having a hard time figuring out what to say even with Ziva asleep. She would probably be picking at him for getting tongue tied.

"I've just recently, as in the last few hours, realized that stuff that should have been said hasn't been. You need to say things when you get a chance to say them or you might not get a chance to say them."

"I guess what I am trying to say is," Tony took a deep breath. "I care for you, Ziva David. It's more than that. I love you."

Tony leaned forward, pressing his lips against the back of the fingers that lay so cool and still in his hand.

A low moan caught his attention. Tony glanced up as a mix of hope, longing and anxiety welled up in his chest he glanced up at Ziva's face. His breath caught in his throat as Ziva's eyelids fluttered open.

"Ziva?" Tony asked quietly.

"Ziva?" Tony watched as Ziva blinked repeatedly, her eyes slowly losing their glazed appearance finally focusing on him as she turned her head towards him. "Tony?"

He could barely hear her. Her voice weak and raspy, but it was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard.

"I'm here, Ziva."

"Good." She wrapped her fingers around his hand. "How about that movie?"


End file.
